Charities doing Trojan community work have always relied on an Irish public never found wanting when it came to generous donations, but the Covid-19 crisis has laid bare just how it can all evaporate in an instant.

A businessman with a warehouse full of fruit and veg is giving it away wholesale before it rots as businesses in Cork City promise they’ll be ‘back soon’.

Quinlan’s Seafood Bar is seeking to expand into number 55 Oliver Plunkett Street.

Having to say no to families who want to do the very best for their loved ones and get the intellectual disability support services they deserve is heartbreaking, writes Sean Abbott.

Concerns from a leading charity over the lack of supports for thousands of children and adults with disabilities is a “ huge cry for help” and a call to action, the Taoiseach has been told.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin have become embroiled in a war of words over supports for the disabled and people with intellectual disabilities.

Adults with intellectual disability are reduced to “couch-surfing” between family members while waiting to access residential care at the Cope Foundation, where pressure on services is so severe that it needs an extra €34m per annum, according to its chief executive.

Trish O’Neill has wrestled with waiting lists all of her young son’s life and the thought of what might lie ahead when he leaves school is already making her uneasy.

Cope Foundation is one of those unsung hero organisations that offers support and opportunity to those desperately in need of them.

Despite the uncertainty, the centre's care assistants, social care workers and administration and clerical workers, are still turning up for work every day to care for the centre residents.

The Cope foundation has put out an appeal for extra runners in this year's The Echo Women's Mini Marathon.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin pointed to the fact that 864 children are awaiting an assessment in Cork.

The owner of a Cork cafe has opened a new roasting and packing facility thanks to the success of a nationwide deal with German retail giant Aldi.

The Cope Foundation offers an employment support service which aims to connect young people who have intellectual disabilities with employers. Donal O’Keeffe meets three people who are benefitting from the scheme.

Local politics in Fermoy has been a game of musical chairs of sorts with representatives not just giving up county council positions for Dáil seats, but also swapping parties since the last local elections.

Rosarie McCarthy is thrilled to have rejoined the workforce since participating in last year's #JobShadowDay.

The need to participate, the longing to be involved with others, is as human as breathing.

The Cope Foundation has unveiled an ambitious plan to help more than 60 young people in Cork move towards full employment.

Mary Hegarty cats to Des O'Driscoll about her favourite tastes

Families of adults with disabilities are experiencing “a real crisis every single day” due to the lack of residential care places in Cork.

Many teenagers look to older folk as mentors to guide and assist them in becoming mature adults. The winners of the West Cork Garda Youth Awards do things the other way around, advising, helping and inspiring people of all ages.

Mary McDonnell, who spent 54 years caring for her daughter, tells Noel Baker that you never become an ‘ex-carer’.

After the tragedy of losing her husband, Cope helped mum Susan, she tells Health Correspondent Catherine Shanahan

The sale of this home will be music to the ears of dozens of budding musicians — it is forming part of a very generous bequest that could be worth €2m, to the benefit of UCC students, and to UCC’s music department in particular. 

Families of children with intellectual disabilities who graduate to adult facilities unable to get help.

A number of HSE-run centres for people with disabilities have been criticised by health watchdog Hiqa, including one where a broken heater that had previously resulted in residents moving to emergency accommodation was still malfunctioning during the inspection.

Where there is a will there is a way to integrate children with autism, writes Helen O’Callaghan.

The hard work, commitment and generosity of 65 Gaisce Gold recipients has been acknowledged by President Michael D Higgins.

A HSE care home, where three residents went missing unnoticed by staff and where care was described as “institutionalised and medically focused”, will not now meet a commitment to transfer patients to the community this year due to lack of funds.

When last offered for sale, No 2 Springfort had a €750k guide. It’s now guided at €445,000 and is well worth viewing.

The Cope Foundation has urged volunteers to open their homes to help expand a new model of respite care.

Reimagine Cork is staging a treasure hunt across the city as part of Heritage Open Day tomorrow, writes Colette Sheridan

A former care worker, who was convicted and fined for kicking an autistic man while trying to break up a fight between residents of a Cork care home, has lost his appeal against being fired from his job.